Backing... a 53 ft monster

This is a great topic. A lot of good advise here thanks guys.

 

Great posts here! I worked for Frito-Lay out of Dallas many moons ago and we hauled 57 footers, some of them drop decks! That's a lot of trailer AND a heckuva lot of potato chips

I found that after many years of driving 53' trailers that I could just "feel" where the back of my trailer was at. It's a pretty good feeling to bump a dock without having to do any pull ups, especially if someone was watching you back in. I didn't do it everytime (1 out of ten?). I would sometimes surprize myself, but would always get out of the truck and brush it off like it was no big deal, LOL.

 

The only problem is that some docks are set up so the only way to get into them is to blind side. Familian Pipe and Supply, (now called Air Cold at this location,) in Saint George Utah is one of them. You have to back in off the street, which is a good left side back, but then you have to blind side to get into the dock. And they always have a bunch of air conditioners, swamp coolers, pipe and other stuff in the way.

Well, I was trying to direct a rookie into a spot one time. He totally ignored my directions, and hit another truck. Then he tried to blame ME for giving him the wrong directions. Happily, there were dock personnel watching the whole thing, and were quite vocal to him, about his stupidity.

I would seldom have any backing problems. UNLESS there were folks standing around watching. There are times when being able to laugh at yourself is just essential!

 

Big Don

Rookies actually have to listen! All the help in the world is no good if you're going to ignore it.

I used to be a trainer with the dump company I worked for. I had one trainee all he had to do was do a u-turn put his tandems on the railroad tracks that went through the lime pit we were dumping in and back up. Straight line backing following a set of RR tracks. It took over half an hour because he wouldn't listen and decided to do his own thing. I had another trainee that wouldn't wear his hard hat or safety glasses (big no nos around a power plant) he wouldn't listen to any of my instructions and when he screwed up tried to blame me for his troubles. He pointed to my dispatch that said trainer to which I replied, "I am the trainer and you are the trainee, you need to shut up, listen and do what I tell you." I then got him a new trainer.

I can be very nice and patient unless you are a know it all trainee or newbie with an attitude. Then I come down on you like an elephant sitting on an ant.

 

Get
Out
And
Look!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, Don't have the truck in the hi-side and keep your foot off the fuel!!!!

 

What's hi-side?

 

GO FAST gears!